The Golden Deer Appears

Shloka 1 (aranya.42.1)

एवम् उक्त्वा तु परुषम् मारीचो रावणम् ततः । गच्छावः इति अब्रवीत् दीनो भयात् रात्रिम् चर प्रभोः ॥ 42.1 ॥

evam uktvā tu paruṣam mārīco rāvaṇam tataḥ | gacchāvaḥ iti abravīt dīno bhayāt rātrim cara prabhoḥ || 42.1 ||

Having spoken those harsh words to Ravana, Maricha then, cowed by fear of the lord of night-wanderers, said pitifully, "Let us go."

Shloka 2 (aranya.42.2)

दृष्टाः च अहम् पुनः तेन शर चाप असि धारिणा । मद्वधो उद्यत शस्त्रेण विनष्टम् जीवितम् च मे ॥ 42.2 ॥

dṛṣṭāḥ ca aham punaḥ tena śara cāpa asi dhāriṇā | madvadho udyata śastreṇa vinaṣṭam jīvitam ca me || 42.2 ||

"If that wielder of bow, arrow, and sword should see me again, his weapon already raised to slay me, know my life to be as good as lost.

Shloka 3 (aranya.42.3)

न हि रामम् पराक्रम्य जीवन् प्रति निवर्तते । वर्तते प्रति रूपो असौ यम दण्ड हतस्य ते ॥ 42.3 ॥

na hi rāmam parākramya jīvan prati nivartate | vartate prati rūpo asau yama daṇḍa hatasya te || 42.3 ||

"No one who dares to confront Rama comes back alive, indeed; what stands before you now is merely the reflected image of one already struck down by Yama's own rod.

Shloka 4 (aranya.42.4)

किम् नु कर्तुम् मया शक्यम् एवम् त्वयि दुरात्मनि । एष गच्छामि अहम् तात स्वस्ति ते अस्तु निशाचरः ॥ 42.4 ॥

kim nu kartum mayā śakyam evam tvayi durātmani | eṣa gacchāmi aham tāta svasti te astu niśācaraḥ || 42.4 ||

"What, then, can I possibly do when you are so set on this evil course? Very well, I go, dear one; may good fortune attend you, night-wanderer." So spoke Maricha to Ravana.

Shloka 5 (aranya.42.5)

प्रहृष्टः तु अभवत् तेन वचनेन स राक्षसः । परिष्वज्य सुसंश्लिष्टम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥ 42.5 ॥

prahṛṣṭaḥ tu abhavat tena vacanena sa rākṣasaḥ | pariṣvajya susaṃśliṣṭam idam vacanam abravīt || 42.5 ||

At those words that demon Ravana was filled with delight, and, clasping Maricha in a tight embrace, spoke to him thus.

Shloka 6 (aranya.42.6)

एतत् शौण्डीर्य - चौत्तिर्य -न्युक्तम् ते मत् च्छंद वश वर्तिनः । इदानीम् असि मारीचः पूर्वम् अन्यो निशाचरः ॥ 42.6 ॥

etat śauṇḍīrya cauttirya nyuktam te mat cchaṃda vaśa vartinaḥ | idānīm asi mārīcaḥ pūrvam anyo niśācaraḥ || 42.6 ||

"This show of bravado in your words proves you remain under the sway of my command; only now are you truly Maricha once more -- before this you seemed some other night-wanderer entirely.

Shloka 7 (aranya.42.7)

आरुह्यताम् शीघ्रम् खगो रत्न विभूषितः । मया सह रथो युक्तः पिशाच वदनैः खरैः ॥ 42.7 ॥

āruhyatām śīghram khago ratna vibhūṣitaḥ | mayā saha ratho yuktaḥ piśāca vadanaiḥ kharaiḥ || 42.7 ||

"Mount now, and swiftly, this sky-going chariot beside me -- gem-studded, and yoked with ghost-faced mules.

Shloka 8 (aranya.42.8)

प्रलोभयित्वा वैदेहीम् यथा इष्टम् गन्तुम् अर्हसि । ताम् शून्ये प्रसभम् सीताम् आनयिष्यामि मैथिलीम् ॥ 42.8 ॥

pralobhayitvā vaidehīm yathā iṣṭam gantum arhasi | tām śūnye prasabham sītām ānayiṣyāmi maithilīm || 42.8 ||

"Once you have enticed Vaidehi, you are free to go wherever you wish; I myself, when the place stands undefended, shall carry off that Sita of Mithila by force." So said Ravana to Maricha.

Shloka 9 (aranya.42.9)

तथा इति उवाच एनम् रावणम् ताटका सुतः । ततो रावण मारीचौ विमानम् इव तम् रथम् ॥ 42.9 ॥

tathā iti uvāca enam rāvaṇam tāṭakā sutaḥ | tato rāvaṇa mārīcau vimānam iva tam ratham || 42.9 ||

"So be it," said Tataka's son to Ravana. Then Ravana and Maricha, mounting that chariot as though it were an aircraft,

Shloka 10 (aranya.42.10)

आरुह्य ययतुः शीघ्रम् तस्मात् आश्रम मण्डलात् । तथैव तत्र पश्यन्तौ पत्तनानि वनानि च ॥ 42.10 ॥

āruhya yayatuḥ śīghram tasmāt āśrama maṇḍalāt | tathaiva tatra paśyantau pattanāni vanāni ca || 42.10 ||

swiftly journeyed on from the vicinity of that hermitage, beholding as they went the seaports and the forests,

Shloka 11 (aranya.42.11)

गिरीम् च सरिताः सर्वा राष्ट्राणि नगराणि च । समेत्य दण्डक अरण्यम् राघवस्य आश्रमम् ततः ॥ 42.11 ॥

girīm ca saritāḥ sarvā rāṣṭrāṇi nagarāṇi ca | sametya daṇḍaka araṇyam rāghavasya āśramam tataḥ || 42.11 ||

the mountains too, and all the rivers, the provinces and the cities; and reaching the Dandaka forest, they came upon Raghava's hermitage,

Shloka 12 (aranya.42.12)

ददर्श सह मरीचो रावणो राक्षसाधिपः । अवतीर्य रथात् तस्मात् ततः कांचन भूषणात् ॥ 42.12 ॥

dadarśa saha marīco rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ | avatīrya rathāt tasmāt tataḥ kāñcana bhūṣaṇāt || 42.12 ||

the lord of the rakshasas, Ravana, together with Maricha, thus saw it; then, stepping down from that gold-adorned chariot,

Shloka 13 (aranya.42.13)

हस्ते गृहीत्वा मारीचम् रावणो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् । एतत् राम आश्रम पदम् दृश्यते कदली वृतम् ॥ 42.13 ॥

haste gṛhītvā mārīcam rāvaṇo vākyam abravīt | etat rāma āśrama padam dṛśyate kadalī vṛtam || 42.13 ||

Ravana took Maricha by the hand and spoke to him: "This place we see, ringed about with banana groves, is the threshold of Rama's hermitage.

Shloka 14 (aranya.42.14)

क्रियताम् तत् सखे शीघ्रम् यत् अर्थम् वयम् आगताः । स रावण वचः श्रुत्वा मारीचो राक्षसः तदा ॥ 42.14 ॥

kriyatām tat sakhe śīghram yat artham vayam āgatāḥ | sa rāvaṇa vacaḥ śrutvā mārīco rākṣasaḥ tadā || 42.14 ||

So, friend, accomplish quickly the purpose for which we have come." Hearing Ravana's words, the demon Maricha then

Shloka 15 (aranya.42.15)

मृगो भूत्वा आश्रम द्वारि रामस्य विचचार ह । स तु रूपम् समास्थाय महत् अद्भुत दर्शनम् ॥ 42.15 ॥

mṛgo bhūtvā āśrama dvāri rāmasya vicacāra ha | sa tu rūpam samāsthāya mahat adbhuta darśanam || 42.15 ||

became a deer, and roamed about before the doorway of Rama's hermitage. Taking on this magnificent and wondrous form,

Shloka 16 (aranya.42.16)

मणिप्रवर शृंगाग्रः सित असित मुखाकृतिः । रक्तपद्मोत्पल मुख इन्द्रनीलोत्पल श्रवाः ॥ 42.16 ॥

maṇipravara śṛṃgāgraḥ sita asita mukhākṛtiḥ | raktapadmotpala mukha indranīlotpala śravāḥ || 42.16 ||

with antler-tips gleaming like the finest sapphires, his face pale in one part and dark in another; his cheeks like a red lotus beside a blue one, his ears like blossoms of blue lotus touched with sapphire,

Shloka 17 (aranya.42.17)

किंचित् अभ्युन्नत ग्रीव इन्द्रनील निभ उदरः । मधूक निभ पार्श्वः च कंज किंजल्क सम्निभः ॥ 42.17 ॥

kiṃcit abhyunnata grīva indranīla nibha udaraḥ | madhūka nibha pārśvaḥ ca kaṃja kiṃjalka samnibhaḥ || 42.17 ||

his neck a little arched, his belly shining like a blue sapphire; one of his flanks gleaming like the mahua blossom, the other like the golden filaments of a lotus,

Shloka 18 (aranya.42.18)

वैदूर्य संकाश खुरः तनु जंघः सुसंहतः । इन्द्र आयुध सवर्णेन पुच्छेन ऊर्ध्वम् विराजितः ॥ 42.18 ॥

vaidūrya saṃkāśa khuraḥ tanu jaṃghaḥ susaṃhataḥ | indra āyudha savarṇena puccheṇa ūrdhvam virājitaḥ || 42.18 ||

his hooves resembling the gem lapis lazuli, his slender legs finely knit; his uplifted tail shining in the very hue of Indra's rainbow,

Shloka 19 (aranya.42.19)

मनोहर स्निग्ध वर्णो रत्नैः नाना विधैः वृतः । क्षणेन राक्षसो जातो मृगः परम शोभनः ॥ 42.19 ॥

manohara snigdha varṇo ratnaiḥ nānā vidhaiḥ vṛtaḥ | kṣaṇena rākṣaso jāto mṛgaḥ parama śobhanaḥ || 42.19 ||

his colour lustrous and captivating to the heart, dappled all over with gems of every kind -- in a single moment that demon had become a supremely beautiful deer,

Shloka 20 (aranya.42.20)

वनम् प्रज्वलयन् रम्यम् राम आश्रम पदम् च तत् । मनोहरम् दर्शनीयम् रूपम् कृत्वा स राक्षसः ॥ 42.20 ॥

vanam prajvalayan ramyam rāma āśrama padam ca tat | manoharam darśanīyam rūpam kṛtvā sa rākṣasaḥ || 42.20 ||

setting the whole lovely forest and the threshold of Rama's hermitage aglow with his radiance. Having taken on that heart-captivating and exquisite form, the demon,

Shloka 21 (aranya.42.21)

प्रलोभनार्थम् वैदेह्या नाना धातु विचित्रितम् । विचरन् गच्छते सम्यक् शाद्वलानि समंततः ॥ 42.21 ॥

pralobhanārtham vaidehyā nānā dhātu vicitritam | vicaran gacchate samyak śādvalāni samaṃtataḥ || 42.21 ||

dappled wondrously in the hues of many minerals so as to entice Vaidehi, moved about with true deer-like grace, ranging over the meadows on every side.

Shloka 22 (aranya.42.22)

रोप्यैः बिन्दु शतैः चित्रो भूत्वा च प्रिय दर्शनः । विटपीनाम् किसलयान् भक्षयन् विचचार ह ॥ 42.22 ॥

ropyaiḥ bindu śataiḥ citro bhūtvā ca priya darśanaḥ | viṭapīnām kisalayān bhakṣayan vicacāra ha || 42.22 ||

Dappled with hundreds of silvery spots and lovely to behold, he roamed about grazing on the tender young shoots of the trees.

Shloka 23 (aranya.42.23)

कदली गृहकम् गत्वा कर्णिकारानि ततः ततः । समाश्रयन् मंदगतिः सीता संदर्शनम् ततः ॥ 42.23 ॥

kadalī gṛhakam gatvā karṇikārāni tataḥ tataḥ | samāśrayan maṃdagatiḥ sītā saṃdarśanam tataḥ || 42.23 ||

Going among the banana groves, and then here and there among the karnikara trees, moving at a slow pace, he came at last to rest within Sita's sight.

Shloka 24 (aranya.42.24)

राजीव चित्र पृष्ठः स विरराज महामृगः । राम आश्रम पद अभ्याशे विचचार यथा सुखम् ॥ 42.24 ॥

rājīva citra pṛṣṭhaḥ sa virarāja mahāmṛgaḥ | rāma āśrama pada abhyāśe vicacāra yathā sukham || 42.24 ||

That great deer, its back marked wondrously like a lotus, shone forth splendidly, and roamed about at his ease near the threshold of Rama's hermitage.

Shloka 25 (aranya.42.25)

पुनर् गत्वा निवृत्तः च विचचार मृगोत्तमः । गत्वा मुहूर्तम् त्वरया पुनः प्रति निवर्तते ॥ 42.25 ॥

punar gatvā nivṛttaḥ ca vicacāra mṛgottamaḥ | gatvā muhūrtam tvarayā punaḥ prati nivartate || 42.25 ||

That excellent deer would go on a while and then turn back, wandering to and fro; going off for a moment, he would swiftly return once more.

Shloka 26 (aranya.42.26)

विक्रीडन् च पुनर् भूमौ पुनर् एव निषीदति । आश्रम द्वारम् आगम्य मृग यूथानि गच्छति ॥ 42.26 ॥

vikrīḍan ca punar bhūmau punar eva niṣīdati | āśrama dvāram āgamya mṛga yūthāni gacchati || 42.26 ||

Frolicking about, he would again sink down onto the ground; then, coming near the hermitage door, he would move off toward the herds of deer.

Shloka 27 (aranya.42.27)

मृग यूथैः अनुगतः पुनर् एव निवर्तते । सीता दर्शनम् आकांक्षन् राक्षसो मृगताम् गतः ॥ 42.27 ॥

mṛga yūthaiḥ anugataḥ punar eva nivartate | sītā darśanam ākāṃkṣan rākṣaso mṛgatām gataḥ || 42.27 ||

Though followed by the herds of deer, he would turn back once more, for that demon who had assumed the form of a deer wished only to stay within Sita's view,

Shloka 28 (aranya.42.28)

परिभ्रमति चित्राणि मण्डलानि विनिष्पतन् । समुद्वीक्ष्य च सर्वे तम् मृगा ये अन्ये वनेचराः ॥ 42.28 ॥

paribhramati citrāṇi maṇḍalāni viniṣpatan | samudvīkṣya ca sarve tam mṛgā ye anye vanecarāḥ || 42.28 ||

and would leap and bound about in strange, winding circles. And all the other deer roaming that forest, on catching sight of him,

Shloka 29 (aranya.42.29)

उपगम्य समाघ्राय विद्रवन्ति दिशो दश । राक्षसः सो अपि तान् वन्यान् मृगान् मृगवधे रतः ॥ 42.29 ॥

upagamya samāghrāya vidravanti diśo daśa | rākṣasaḥ so api tān vanyān mṛgān mṛgavadhe rataḥ || 42.29 ||

would come close, sniff at him, and then bolt away in all ten directions. And that demon, though he took delight in killing deer,

Shloka 30 (aranya.42.30)

प्रच्छादनार्थम् भावस्य न भक्षयति संस्पृशन् । तस्मिन् एव ततः काले वैदेही शुभलोचना ॥ 42.30 ॥

pracchādanārtham bhāvasya na bhakṣayati saṃspṛśan | tasmin eva tataḥ kāle vaidehī śubhalocanā || 42.30 ||

would not devour those forest creatures even as he brushed against them, only so as to conceal his true nature. And at that very moment, the lovely-eyed Vaidehi,

Shloka 31 (aranya.42.31)

कुसुम अपचये व्यग्रा पादपान् अभ्यवर्तत । कर्णिकारान् अशोकान् च चूताम् च मदिरेक्षणा ॥ 42.31 ॥

kusuma apacaye vyagrā pādapān abhyavartata | karṇikārān aśokān ca cūtām ca madirekṣaṇā || 42.31 ||

eager to gather flowers, wandered among the trees; and she of the intoxicating glance, plucking blossoms of karnikara, ashoka, and mango,

Shloka 32 (aranya.42.32)

कुसुमानि अपचिन्वन्ती चचार रुचिरानना । अनर्हा अरण्य वासस्य सा तम् रत्नमयम् मृगम् ॥ 42.32 ॥

kusumāni apacinvantī cacāra rucirānanā | anarhā araṇya vāsasya sā tam ratnamayam mṛgam || 42.32 ||

that lovely-faced one moved about, gathering flowers -- she who deserved no such life in the forest -- and it was then that she beheld that gem-like deer,

Shloka 33 (aranya.42.33)

मुक्ता मणि विचित्र अंगम् ददर्श परम अंगना । तम् वै रुचिर दंत ओष्ठम् रूप्य धातु तनू रुहम् ॥ 42.33 ॥

muktā maṇi vicitra aṃgam dadarśa parama aṃganā | tam vai rucira daṃta oṣṭham rūpya dhātu tanū ruham || 42.33 ||

that peerless lady saw its limbs so wondrously adorned it seemed strewn with pearls and gems -- that deer with its lovely teeth and lips, its very fur the hue of silver ore --

Shloka 34 (aranya.42.34)

विस्मयात् उत्फुल्ल नयना स स्नेहम् समुदैक्षत । स च ताम् राम दयिताम् पश्यन् मायामयो मृगः ॥ 42.34 ॥

vismayāt utphulla nayanā sa sneham samudaikṣata | sa ca tām rāma dayitām paśyan māyāmayo mṛgaḥ || 42.34 ||

and, her eyes wide with astonishment, she gazed upon it with real fondness. And that phantom deer, for his part, on seeing Rama's beloved,

Shloka 35 (aranya.42.35)

विचचार ततः तत्र दीपयन् इव तत् वनम् । अदृष्ट पूर्वम् दृष्ट्वा तम् नाना रत्नमयम् मृगम् । विस्मयम् परमम् सीता जगाम जनक आत्मजा ॥ 42.35 ॥

vicacāra tataḥ tatra dīpayan iva tat vanam | adṛṣṭa pūrvam dṛṣṭvā tam nānā ratnamayam mṛgam | vismayam paramam sītā jagāma janaka ātmajā || 42.35 ||

moved about there as though setting the whole forest alight with his brilliance. And Sita, Janaka's daughter, on beholding that never-before-seen deer seemingly made of every kind of gem, was overcome with the greatest wonder.